Portable submarine fort.



C. J. LINDQUIST. PORTABLE SUBMARINE FORT.

Patentd Jan. 14,1919.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2B. I916. RENEWED DEC. 29,19l1

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C. J. HNDOUIST.

PORTABLE SUBMARlNE FORT.

APPLICATION man SEPT.28,1915. RENEWED DEC. 29.1911

Patented Jan. 14, I919.

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PORTABLE SUBMARINE FORT.

APPLICATION FILED sEPLZB. 191a. RENEWED mac. 29.1917

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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PORTABLE SUBMARINE FORT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28. 1916. RENEWED DEC. 29,1917

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invTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL J'. LINDQUIST, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SUBMARINE SALVAGE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PORTABLE SUBMARINE FORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application filed September 28, 1916, Serial No. 122,599. Renewed December 29,1917. Serial No. 209,602.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J. LINDQUIST, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Submarine Forts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in portable forts, but pertains more particularly to submersible means for the protection of harbors or vessels, or for an attack upon enemy vessels, that is to say, my improved submarine fort is arranged for the ejection of torpedoes, and if desirable other engines of war may be included. The inherent buoyancy of the fort proper may also be utilized for raising sunken vessels.

The object of my invention is to provide a fort or caisson large enough to permit a crew to be'carried, the fort or caisson being arranged to be towed or self-propelled to a selected spot and submerged, a periscope being used for observation after the fort or caisson has been submerged.

My improved portable fort consists of a plurality of telescoping tubular members, one of which carries torpedo retaining means, such as torpedo tubes, the other member acting as a float chamber for the armed member or tube.

My improved device is arranged to yield with the flow of the ocean currents and is suitably anchored when in use. A torpedo netting or protecting device incases the entire mechanism to protect it against attack, as well as to maintain the fort in an upright V position while submerged or in operation.

The foregoing, in a general Way, sets forth the objects and features of my invention and I will now proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings; wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved portable fort illustrating the device in a general way, some of the smaller parts being omitted;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of the essential parts of the telescoping members of the device;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device illustrating the rings to which the guard netting is attached;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view, the section being taken on a line 4--4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view, the section being taken on a line 55 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view,

illustrating the means to lock the armed member or tube and float-chamber together;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of one of the torpedo tubes; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic side View, on a reduced scale, of the complete device illustrating it in position to be towed, and the netting being omitted.

Referring to Fig. 1, my improved submersible portable fort consists of a pontoon base-member 9, to which is pivotally secured a float-chamber 10 carrying a tubular chamber 11 which in turn is provided with the means of defense or attack, in this instance torpedo tubes indicated generally by 12, 12 (see Fig. 4;).

As the device is arranged to be submerged, when in use, it is necessary that the chamber elements 10 and 11 be mounted or connected to the base member 9 so as to permit of a universal movement in order that the fort proper can sway with the ocean currents. To permit of such swaying, I employ a connection consisting of frames 13, 13 pivoted by trunnions 1/1, 14 to the float chamber 10 (see Figs. 1 and 3), the frames 13, 13 being pivotally connected by trunnions 15, 15 and brackets 16, 16 to the pontoon 9. By means of the above described connections, the chamber elements 10 and 11 are free to swing in either one of two directions.

To protect the fort against attack or rather to prevent injury thereto, I provide a netting 17 secured to the pontoon at its lower end and intermediate its ends to frames 18 and 19 carried by the members 10 and 11, respectively. The frame 18 is pivotally secured to the member 10 by trunnions 20, the frame 19 being pivotally secured to the member 11 by trunnions 21 (see Fig. 8). WVhile the fort is being towed to its place of destination, as shown in Fig. 8, the netting 17 will yield to the inclination of the members 10 and 11 and the frames 18 and 19 will correspondingly swing upon their pivots 20 and 21. The upper end of the netting 17 terminates at the peak 22 of the armed chamber 11. Hence, the whole device is protected by the netting 17. The netting also serves to keep the 'fort inan uprightposition while submerged; When the device is submerged,

' as illustrated in Fig. 1, observations canbe 'm'adepby means of the periscope 23, whlch may be raised or lowered to suit -require 7 v g 7 1'1 and does not rotate therewith. The ring l ments. The periscope may also be utilized as an air vent. The torpedo tubes 12 are located; in afiring chamber 24 (seeFigs'i -1 and 4) loseated at the topof the. tubular member 11. r Within' the said firing'chamber, I also place a gage 25 to indicate the depth of submera torpedo indicated by dottedline's' 29 (Fig.

7 The topedo tubes 12 consist of casing-sections '26 and 27, secured together at 28, joined to form a tubular chamberv to receive 7 8). The chamber, indicated. generally by 30,'is connected by a flexible connection'or joint 31-to a cylindrical head 32 carried by r the wall 33 of the member 11, saidohamber being open at one end. To close the opening 34 of said head,1 provide a sliding door ,35, carrying a rack 36, interm'eshmg with a gear 37 carried by a shaft 38. Each end of. the shaft'38 carries .a beveled gear 39 'meshing-with a corresponding gear 40 7 the torpedo is placed within each tube, the;

30 V :be closed. V'After the torpedoes have been positioned the triggers 42 of each torpedo carrying a handle 41 (see Fig. 4). Before door35 of each torpedo tube mechanism will will be engaged by a latch 43 operable by a lever 44, a door 45 being provided for the purpose of permitting of such operation. J

, To raise or lower the chamber 30,1 prof vide a threaded post 46 pivotally secured at 47 to a bracket 48 on the floor 49 of the firing'cha'mber 24, the post 46 engagingra threaded block 50 on the chamber 30. I

fWhen the fort is submerged, and should I'desire to fire a torpedo, I would open the door 35 of the tube containing the torpedo to be fired, thereby admitting water. to

After. the chamber has filled I would manipulate the.

chamber 30 and filling same.

be fired to aline with the object'to bestrucK',

I rotate the chamber 11 of the fort and cause the tubeto be brought into proper position.

.Torotat'e thechamber, I providegears-M and 52 (see Fig. 2). toengageior mesh with V ribs 53' carried by the float-chamber 10.

The'ribs 53 extend --longitudinally,of the float chamber sufficiently to form. a rack to be engaged by the gears 51 and 52. Each rib is virtually an elongated rack toothg The-gears 51 and 52 are carried by shafts 54 and 55, respectively, which in turnare;

operable by levers 56 andr 57, respectively,

carrying pawls 58to engage andoperate ,ratchets 59 carried by each shaft 54and .(seeFig1 4).

Teflzeep the ribs 53 clean, I provide a scraping device consisting of a ring 60 having' teeth 61 to mesh with the'ribs' 531*The ring 60; is loosely mounted on the chamber 60 is retained'by'brackets 62 carried by the chamber 11. During the raising or lowering ofthe chamber 11, thering 6 0 will be raised or lowered, causing the teeth 61 to scrape along the ribs 53, thereby keeping them clear of barnacles, sea-weed, etc.'

To locktheinnerchamber 11, I; provide a post 63 whichat its'lower endis secured to the chamber 10 (see Fig.1)- The post 6,3extends upwardly into a centraltube or guide-way 64 carried by the innerchamber '11 and carries annular rings or ridges 65 to form a rack" to intermesh with gears 66 and 67 (Figs. 2 and 6)located in a casing 68, carried by the guideway 64. 1 The gears 66 and 67 are mounted'o n shafts 69 and 70, respectively. Each-shaft 69 and .70 carries a ratchet 72 havingin engagement therewith apawl 73. Each pawl-73 has connected thereto a rod 7 4 for the manipulation thereof. As can beseen in Fig. 1, the chamber 10 is composed of an outer wall 76 and'an'inner wall 77 connected by partition walls 78, having openings 79, which divide the chamher-.10 into compartments 80. The lower endof the chamberlO is provided with openings '81. and 82 for the admission of water tothe interior thereof. I

The inner chamber 11 consists of the hereinbefore mentioned outer wall 33. and an.

compartments 86 and 87 the compartment 86 being a compressed air storage tank, the compartment 87- being for water ballast. The water ballastchamber is provided with an outlet: 88 having a valve 89, said valve beingcarried by a rod 90 which extends up-- wardly to the chamber 24 and is connected Q7110 a manipulating. lever '91.

From theair chamber86 a pipe- 92 leads to the firing chamber24 for the purpose of conveying air: thereto for breathing purposes, said pipebeing provided with valves 7 at various 'pomts. The, numeral 93 indicates a draln'pipe, one for each torpedo tube 12; The pipes 93 drain the water from the After atorp edo has been expelled from a tube 12 the door. 35 will be closed, where: 7 upon the water-in the tube will be drained off through a pipe'93. Eachpipe 93 is provided with a valve 94. (See Fig. 7

The pontoon base19 is a hollow box like estructure-having partition -walls 95 and a downwardly projecting flange 96 having tubes 12' into the water ballastchamber S7. r

openings 97 (Fig. 1), the flange 96 extending considerably below the bottom wall 98 of the pontoon. The openings 97 in the flange 96 serve as outlets for the water that is pocketed between the bottom wall 98 and ocean bottom when the structure rests upon said ocean bottom.

The interior of the chamber 10 will be filled with water excepting at certain times to be presently explained. Unless submerged, the inner chamber 11 will be in extended position against the stops 10 (see Fig. 2). When not submerged the chamber 99 of the pontoon will be empty. To submerge the device, the valve 100 in a pipe 101, which leads from the space 102 between the inner and outer chambers 10 and 11, will be opened, allowing water to flow into and fill the chamber 99 in the pontoon. After the chamber 99 has filled, the pontoon will sink. After the pontoon and chamber 10 have been sunk, the valve 89 will be opened, by operating lever 91 in the firing chamber 24, whereupon water will flow into the chamber 87 from the chamber 10. After the ballast chamber has been filled with water, the pawls 73 will be released by operating the rods 7 4, after which the chamber 11 will sink into the chamber 10 until the firing chamber 24 is sub-merged. When the chamber 11 has sunk to the desired depth, the pawls 73 will be allowed to engage the ratchets 72, after which the chamber 11 will come to rest. The water in the float chamber 10 will act as a cushion to prevent the chamber 11 from sinking too rapidly. The water displaced by the sinking chamber 11 will be forced out of the float chamber 10.

In order that the crew can enter any of the compartments 85, I provide same with a hatch or door 103 (Fig. 2). An elevator 104 will serve to convey the crew from the firing chamber 24 to and from any of the compartments. In other words, the crew can go to the bottom of the compartment 105, within the inner tube or member 11, and then climb the steps 106 to any of the hatches 103.

To detect the presence of an enemy, I provide the firing chamber 24 with submarine microphones 24 (Fig. 1). The periscope 24 will of course be used for the purposes of observation when the chamber 24 is submerged; at such times, the periscope will, of course, extend above the surface of the water.

To raise the device, I would open the valve 88 and valve 110 in the branch air pi e 111, which leads to the water ballast cham er 87, whereupon the water will be forced out of the chamber 87 into the float chamber 10 by the compressed air. After the water has been forced out of chamber 87, the inner chamber 11 will rise or float upwardly until the rings 60 come in contact with the stops 10 After having performed the above operation, I would open the valve 106, allowing compressed air to flow into the chamber 99 of the pontoon 9, thereby forcing the water therein out through pipe 101 (valve 100 being open) into the space 102 between chambers 10 and 11. After the water has been forced out of chamber 99, the whole device will float or rise to the surface. The pipe 101, and its connection 108, acts as an inlet for water to the chamber 99, and also as an outlet for the Water to be forced out of said compartment. The valve 100'is opened both for the submersion of the device and also for the raising of the same. The extension 109 of pipe 107 is flexible, the same as extension 108 of pipe 101.

An entrance door 112 is provided (Figs. 1 and 2).

What I claim is:

1. A portable submersible fort, comprising a buoyant chamber, means to submerge said chamber consisting of a hollow flanged base separated fro-m but pivotally connected thereto, an inner chamber slidable longitudinally of said chamber, and means to lock said chambers together.

2. A portable submersible fort, co1nprising a buoyant chamber, means to submerge said chamber, a second chamber retained by 9 said buoyant chamber and slidable longitudinally thereof, means to lock said chambers together, and torpedo tubes carried by the chamber last named.

3. A portable submersible fort, comprising a chamber arranged for submersion, a firing chamber at one end thereof, compartments carried by said chamber intermediate the ends thereof, and an elevator located within said chamber arranged to convey a crew from said firing chamber to said compartments.

4. A portable submersible fort consisting of a submersible chamber, a Water ballast compartment carried thereby, a compressed air compartment also carried thereby, means to admit water to said ballast compartment, means to convey air from the air compartment to the water ballast compartment, a firing compartment located at one end of said chamber, a support for said chamber and means to lock said chamber and support together.

5. A portable fort consisting of a tubular chamber, a rack carried thereby, a second chamber arranged for rotation relative to the first chamber, gears carried by the sec ond chamber engaging the rack on the first chamber, means to operate said gears, and a scraping device, carried by the rotatable chamber, for the rack on the first chamber.

6. A portable fort consisting of a tubular chamber, a rack carried thereby, a second chamber arranged for rotation relative to the first chamber, gears carried by the sec- A ond chamber engaging the rack on the. first chamber, means to operate said gears, a r ng loosely mounted on the second chamber, and

teeth carried thereby meshing with the teeth of said rack'for, the piirpose'set forth.

, 7 .Z. A'portable fort consisting'ofatubular chamber, airack carried thereby, asecond' chamber" arranged for rotation relative to the first chamber, gears carried by the sec:-

ond chamber engagingthe-rack on the first chamber, means to operatesaid gears, a post i carried by the first chamber, and a locking device carried by the second chamber engag- 7 ingf'the said post.

8. A portableff rtconsisting of tubular; chamber, a rack, carried thereby, a'second "chamber"arrangedfor rotation relative to the'first chamber, gears carried by the sec device for saidQgears, V f the lockingdevlce. a

0nd chamberjengaging the rack on thefirst chamber, means to operate said gears, a post carried by the first chamber, a rackcarried thereby, gears engaging said rack, a locking and means to actuate chamber, a rack carried thereby, a second chamber arranged for rotation relat ve to thefirstchamber,j gears carried by the secthereby, gearsengaging said rack, ratchets carried by sald gears, pawls to engage said ing of a base provided with a peripheral ond 'chamber engaging the rack on thejfirst chamber, means tooperate said gears, a post carried by the first chamber, a rack carried ratchets, and means to manipulate said pawls. 10. A portable" submersible fort, consist flange having openings therein, extensible tubular chambers carried thereby, and a pivotal-connection for said base and'one of said tubular chambers.

11.'A portable submersible fort, consisting of a base provided with a peripheral flange having openings therein, extensible tubular chambers carried thereby, and a 11I11V6IS2tl connection for. said base and one of said tubularchambers,

a 12. A portable 'submersible'fort consisti; ing of a chambered pontoon base, a tubular V chamber connected thereto, a second tubular chamberfcarried by the first chamber and movably connected thereto, an air chamber" carried by the second chamber, a pipe connecting said second chamber and thejcham- 1 ber;with1n saidpontoon, and means to ad.-

'mitfwater to the chamber'within said pon rto,on r :13. A portable submersible fort consist- 7 ing of a chambered pontoon'basa a tubular chamber connected thereto, a secondtubular chamber-carried by the'first chamber and movably Connectedthereto, an air chamber carriedbythe second chamber, a pipe con- *n'ecting said second chamber and the cham-' "ber within said pontoon, and means to lock said tubular chambers together, a

-9, A portable fort consisting of a'tubular 1 r 7 '14:. A portable submersible fort consisting.-

of a chambered pontoon base, ;a tubular chamber connected thereto, asecond tubular 7 chamber carried by the firstjchamberand novably' connected thereto, anair chamber carried by the second chamber, a; pipe con necting said second chamber and the. charm ber within said pontoon, and a pipe connecting the chamber within said pontoon andthe interior of the chamber first named 'for the admission of water thereto;

"15. A submersible portable ffort consisting of a chamberedebase, a flange extending downwardly from the bottom of said base,

said flange being'provided with openings, and a chamber pivoted to said base,

16. A submersible portable fort consisting of a chambered base, a tubular chamber pivotally securedthereto, a second chamber slidably mounted within the chamber first named, torpedo tubes located atone end of the slidable chamber, an air chamber carried by the slidable chamber, a pipe connect- .ing said air chamber and the chamberwithin said base, and means to admit water'to the chamber Within said base. V 17; 'A submersible portable fort consisting of a chambered base, a tubular chamber pivotally secured thereto, a second chamber slidably mountediwithin the chamber first named, torpedo tubes locatediat one end of the slidable chamber, an air chamber car- 'ried by the slidable chamber, a pipe connecting said air chamber and the chamber within saidbase, means to admit water to the chamber within said: base, and means to lock said chambers together.

18. submersible portable fort consisting of a chamber having openings in the bottom thereof forthe admission of water, a second chamber slidable within the first chamber, means to rotate the second chamber Within the first chamber, torpedo tubes carried by the second chamber and located at one end thereof, means tolock said chambers together,- and a base pivotally connected to the chamber first named.

'19. A portable submersible fort consisting p '20. A portable submersible fort consisting [of atubular chamber, a second chamber slidable Within the first chamber and arranged to be extended by the pressure of water within the first chamber, a water ballast compartment within the second chamber, means to admit water thereto, whereby the weight of said second chamber is increased to cause same to sink into the first chamber, means to force the water out of said compartment when said second chamber is to be extended, and means to lock said chambers together at any point. of the exlt)ent of the movement of said second cham- 21. A ortable submersible fort consisting of a base member, tubular chambers carried thereby, a pivotal frame carried by each of said chambers, and a protecting netting extending completely around said chambers and extending from said base over said irames to the outer end of one of said chamers.

22. A portable submersible fort, comprising a chamber arranged for submersion, an inner chamber movably retained thereby, means to lock said chambers together, and a protective netting surrounding said chambers and adapted to keep the fort in an upright position while submerged.

23. A portable submersible fort, comprising a buoyant chamber, the walls of said chamber being provided with water passages and with air compartments, an inner buoyant chamber slidably retained by the first named chamber, and means to submerge said chambers.

24:. A portable submersible fort, comprising slidably connected inner and outer chambers, the outer chamber having waterinlet openings whereby water may be ad mitted thereinto to force the inner chamber outwardly, and means to retain the inner chamber in such extended position.

25. A portable submersible fort, comprising an outer chamber having air-compartme'nts surrounding same, an inner chamber telescopically and rotatably retained by the outer chamber, the inner chamber having compartments surrounding same, a base for supporting said chambers, and means to pivotally connect one of said chambers with said base.

26. A submersible fort, comtprising extensibly connected chambers and a hollow base pivotally connected to one of said chambers and adapted to have water admitted thereinto for the purpose of increasing the weight thereof to submerge the same and its connected chambers.

27. A submersible fort, comprising a basemember provided with a downwardly projecting flange, and a buoyant chamber pivotally connected to said base-member.

28. A portable submersible fort, compr ing a hollow base, provided with a downwardly projecting flange, extensible buoyant chambers carried thereby, and a pivotal connection for said base and one of said buoyant chambers.

Signed at New York city, N. Y. this 26 day of September, 1916.

CARL J. LINDQUIST. Witnesses: MAURICE BLooK, MAX SHLIVELE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatentu,

Washington, D. 0. 

